Two years before the U.S. Supreme Court vacated Richard Glossip’s conviction and death sentence, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond sent an email to Glossip’s attorney, agreeing to a plan for Glossip’s release should a court rule in his favor.

“Once the conviction is vacated,” Glossip’s attorney Don Knight wrote to Drummond on April 1, 2023, the state would bring a new charge against his client: “a single count of being an Accessory After the Fact.” Glossip “will plead guilty to this charge” and be given credit for time served. Under the terms, Glossip would be entitled to immediate release.

“We are in agreement,” Drummond replied.

Instead of following through with the agreement, Drummond, a Republican who is currently running for governor, reversed course and announced in June that Oklahoma would again prosecute Glossip for first degree murder in the 1997 death of motel owner Barry Van Treese.

The email exchange was filed as part of an unusual motion by Glossip’s defense team in Oklahoma County District Court on Wednesday. The filing asks the court to enforce the previous agreement, which the lawyers describe as a binding contract.

“As Mr. Glossip remains in custody despite the Attorney General’s agreement that he should have been released at least two years ago, this matter is of the utmost importance and needs to be heard before any other matters are determined,” Glossip’s lawyers wrote.

“Drummond has refused to complete his end of the bargain.”

Glossip was twice convicted and sentenced to death for murdering Van Treese inside Room 102 of the rundown motel his family owned on the outskirts of Oklahoma City. A 19-year-old maintenance man named Justin Sneed admitted to bludgeoning Van Treese to death, but insisted Glossip put him up to it. Sneed, who is currently serving a life sentence, escaped the death penalty by becoming the star witness against Glossip.

Glossip had originally been charged as an accessory after the fact for initially failing to give police information about the murder. The night Van Treese was killed, Glossip said, Sneed had woken him up around 4 a.m. by knocking on the wall of his apartment, which was adjacent to the motel’s office. Standing outside with a black eye, Sneed told Glossip he........

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